Malted-Milk Squares

These could become a favorite for bake sales or casual dinner parties - if they make it out of the house!

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 16
• Yields: 32 bars

Ingredients

• Chocolate Base

• 3⁄4 cup margarine (1 1/2 sticks) or 3⁄4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks)
• 4  ounces  semisweet chocolate
• 2  ounces  unsweetened chocolate
• 1 1⁄2 cups sugar
• 1  tablespoon vanilla extract
• 4  large eggs, beaten
• 1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt

• Malted-Milk Topping

• 3⁄4 cup  instant malted milk powder (no sugar added)
• 3  tablespoons milk
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3  tablespoons margarine or 3  tablespoons butter, softened
• 1  cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 1⁄2 cups  malted milk balls, coarsely chopped (about 5 ounces of candy)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F Grease 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Line pan with foil; grease foil.
2. Prepare Chocolate Base: In a heavy 3-quart saucepan, melt margarine or butter with chocolates over low heat, stirring frequently. Remove saucepan from heat. With a wooden spoon, stir in sugar and vanilla, then stir in eggs until well mixed.
3. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; stir into chocolate mixture just until blended.
4. Spread batter evenly in pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until toothpick inserted 1-inch from edge comes out clean. Remove pan from oven. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.
5. Prepare Malted-Milk Topping: In a small bowl, mix malted-milk powder, milk and vanilla until blended. Stir in margarine or butter, then confectioners' sugar, until blended. Spread topping over cooled bars; top with chopped malted-milk-ball candies.
6. When topping is firm, transfer with foil to cutting board. Cut lengthwise into 4 strips, then cut each strip crosswise into 8 pieces.